God does not see genders, but He sees in the heart

Testimony* by Aleandra

When I was a child I lived in Peru with my parents and brothers. I had too difficult a childhood. My mom died when I was seven. He killed her, my father, and went to prison.

Since I was little I used to put a towel on my head to pretend I had long hair, because I always felt like a child. My behavior annoyed my brother, who considered me effeminate, and often treated me badly and beat me. Initially I thought I was homosexual, later transsexual, then I simply understood that I was a woman. To avoid staying at home, I started living on the streets, I started drinking and taking drugs.

I met one at some point pimp (in our language one coffee), who suggested I go to Italy. When I arrived in Italy there coffee she forced me to go to the streets to prostitute myself, to pay her the debt for the trip, fourteen thousand euros. This led me to take drugs and drink even more, because the only thing that warmed me up and made me go through so many bad thoughts was a bottle of whisky.

A few months ago I was tired of being exploited: even in Reggio Emilia I had to pay 400 euros a week for a bed in a room with another person, and it was the same in the other cities where I had been. One day I said: «Enough!». I found an abandoned place, where there was no water to wash myself, nor electricity, there was only a bed that I had found in the garbage.

I stayed in that terrible place for a few months, then the cold came. I got water from the supermarket, washed myself with a wet handkerchief and went to eat at the Caritas canteen near the church in Pieve.

Then I met the volunteersRabboni Association who saved me, brought me the Gospel of Jesus in my language, and I was able to make the choice to change this life.

Now I work in the tailoring workshop Zig Zag. I like sewing: I remember that my mother also sewed, she made clothes, pajamas, uniforms for the school children. With the other girls in the workshop we made neck warmers for girls who are still on the streets and also for people who have nowhere to sleep and live in the station or on the streets.

I was included in a project that helps me in everything: I stopped drinking, I go to SERT and the Alcoholics Anonymous group, I no longer take drugs. They also gave me a house where I can live peacefully, there is water, there is heat, there is everything. The people I have close to me now are people who love me. Before, the people around me just wanted money for themselves.

I feel very good and I am very happy. Now I feel like a normal person, a daughter of God like all of you. God does not see genders, but He sees the heart of the person. In my heart there is love, charity to give to everyone. I would like to say to those who are still exploited and on the streets: «Believe in God, look to God for a way that can help you. God never forgets you. It won't be today, it won't be tomorrow, but sooner or later he will give you a chance to help, like he did with me. Just believe in God".

God has given me strength in these years!

*Testimony collected thanks to friends from Reggio Emilia nell’ambito del progetto “Nati due volte”, with which the volunteers of Jonathan Project they want to tell the journey of faith of transgender people and their families. In May 2025, on the occasion of theVeglie di preghiera per il superamento dell’omotransbifobia, some of these stories will be collected by Jonathan's tent in a free printed booklet that will tell the story of the faith journeys of transgender, Catholic and evangelical people, and their families in the various churches. A collection of testimonies with which we want to weave a bridge of knowledge between these two often distant worlds, to help break down walls and prejudices. To read the testimonies we have already collected click onhttps://www.gionata.org/tag/nati-due-volte/. If you want to add yours, write to tendedigionata@gmail.com Word of mouth